Chapter 3

Draco awoke to a pounding headache. He had definitely drunk too much firewisky last night. His brain was all jumbled. He rolled over to find a glass of water and a couple of crackers on his bedside table.

He scrunched his eyebrows together trying to piece together his night.

A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. The door opened revealing the not-so-bushy-haired girl.

"How are you feeling? You slept through breakfast. I just came from lunch, I thought you might be hungry." She said, holding up a plated sandwich.

She came over to him and sat on the foot of his bed, handing it to him.

"Thanks," he said. "What happened last-?"

It suddenly all came back to him and he groaned, rubbing his hands over his face to hide his flushing cheeks. How embarrassing. He had been sick in front of the mud blood and she had to tuck him into bed like he was a baby.

Seeing the realization on his face, she laughed quietly, "It was pretty funny seeing you like that."

He looked up and glared at her, "If you tell anyone I'll kill you."

"Right," she hid her smile.

His eyes caught a light bruise around her wrist. He pulled her arm up, "Shit Hermione."

Her face paled, no longer smiling. She pulled her arm from his grasp, pulling her sleeves back down. "It's nothing."

He shook his head, "I'm so sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to hurt you. I guess I held onto you too hard last night, I-I'm really sorry."

He would never hurt a girl. Even if that girl was Hermione bloody Granger. He had to admit he liked messing with her, it was one of the only things still keeping him going. Although it didn't have the same malice behind it. He couldn't pretend to hate her. It was his father's misguided preconceptions that had made him hate her in their early years of schooling. But especially after the war, he didn't see those same differences he had seen before. It didn't mean he'd stop messing with her of course, he enjoyed it far too much, but he would never lay a hand on her on purpose.

She exhaled, "O-Oh that's alright Draco. Really. Don't worry about it."

Hermione felt surprisingly guilty about letting Draco believe he had been the one to bruise her arm. However, it was better than the alternative. How would she explain that? Ron hadn't meant to hurt her after all, there was no reason to involve anyone else. She had applied concealer to her jaw this morning but had foolishly forgotten about the bruise on her arm.

She got up from Draco's bed, "Well, I'll leave you. Glad you're feeling better."

She spent the rest of the day in the library with Ron, working on homework and taking the occasional break to play a round of wizards chess. Everything seemed to be back to normal with Ron. He had even apologized and promised it wouldn't happen again. He bought her flowers to make up for it and she was glad to have her boyfriend back.

The next week Hermione headed toward double potions with Harry and Ron. She took her normal spot at the table behind Harry and Ron. When they had started dating, Ron tried to start sitting with her in classes, but she insisted it was alright for him to still sit with Harry. She told him it was important for him to have relationships outside of her. She didn't want his entire life to be about her. Space was a good thing.

"The potion we'll be working on today will require you to partner up. The instructions will be on the board." Professor Snape spoke.

Hermione looked around the room trying to find someone without a partner. She sighed and picked up her books and went to stand in front of the only boy without a partner, "You're not working with Crabbe or Goyle?"

Malfoy doesn't look up, "They're idiots. They'd tank my grade." He peers up at her, "Well, don't just stand there. Sit down, Granger."

She sat at the desk next to him, "You don't mind working with me?"

He shrugged and began to lay out the ingredients written on the board, "At least I know you'll do your work."

"Careful Malfoy. That almost sounded like a compliment."

He scoffs, "Hah, you wish."